Start Somewhere

Hey Everyone! Below are my process thoughts & images

// Step One: Phrase, "Start Somewhere"

// Step Two: Word Association - It didn't take long to distill the overall idea that this phrase was speaking to me. "Start Somewhere" means new beginnings and making new, fresh strides towards an unknown adventure. So the visuals of exploring and having a sense of adventure were top of mind for me.

// Step Three: Mood Board - As I began my search for reference and inspirational material. I was looking for elements where the typography complement, not competed, with the "nature" or context it was living in. The cool blue tones of atmospheric perspective along with warm ambers tones really resonate with me. Final color scheme TBA.

// Step Four: Initial Word Sketch Work - Nothing very exciting here. Ultimately I did borrow a few elements from these rough ideas and incorporated them into the final artwork.

// Step Five: Thumbnails - This is where things really started to take shape and my mind was able to dive into what I wanted the final line work to look like. I really love building on ideas. It's always fun to see how one idea influences another and looks and feels give and take from one another. Almost as if the sketches are engaging in this back and forth dialogue and the final decided on thumbnail is like the "last word" of that dialogue.

// Step Six: Line Work & Tracing - This is the last step before final inking (waiting for some new pens to arrive). Anyhow, the best part (feeling) about this step was that 98% of all the design decisions have already been made! I was literally just tracing those decision and making minor tweaks here and there. Big win! Thanks Mary Kate for the emphasis on working incrementally!

// Step Seven: Final Inking - Once my new pens arrive I'll post the final ink images & then post a final color image!

// Step Seven Update: Below is the final inked image before I scan it in. If anyone is interested I've posted my pen of choice below as well. Pilot's G-2 pen has been a favorite of mine for a long while now; even for everyday use - I'm very happy that they lay down a nice consistent line for these types of projects.